SAT Prep

1
MATRIX MULTIPLICATION AN APPLICATION

Problem: A certain store sells brand X refrigerators and freezers. The following table on the left gives the sales of these items (i.e. number of items sold) for three months; the table on the right gives the sales price and dealers cost of these items. We are going to generate another table containing information about total dollar sales and the total retail costs of brand X items for each of the three months. Table 1. Sales for Three Months Jan. Refrigerators Freezers Solution: For January, The total dollar sales of brand X items = (Retail price of refrigerator) times (No. of refrigerators sold) plus (Retail price of freezer) times (No. of freezers sold) = 32 21 Feb. 43 23 Mar. 35 19 Retail Price Dealer cost Table 2. Prices and Cost Refs 445 310 Frzrs 250 180

445 32 + 250 21
And the total dollar cost = (Cost of refrigerator) times (No. of refrigerators sold) plus (cost of freezer) times (No. of freezers sold) = 310 32 + 180 21 . Similar computations hold for February and March, and combining the three months yields the following table: Table 3. Total Dollar Sales and Cost for Three Months: Jan. Total Dollar Sales Total Dollar Cost 19,490 13,700 Feb. 24,885 17,470 Mar. 20,325 14,270

We remember that a matrix is a table of numbers and we know that table 3 is actually the product of table 2 times table 1. Lets now present everything in matrix form. Step 1:

445 32 + 250 21

445 250 32 43 35 19,490 ... ... 310 180 21 23 19 = 13,700 ... ...
310 32 + 180 21

Adapted from Rechard O. Hill, Jr., Intermediate Algebra SE

ndcuong1980@gmail.com

SAT Prep

Step 2:

445 43 + 250 23

445 250 32 43 35 19,490 24,885 ... 310 180 21 23 19 = 13,700 17,470 ...
310 43 + 180 23
Step 3:

445 35 + 250 19

445 250 32 43 35 19,490 24,885 20,325 310 180 21 23 19 = 13,700 17,470 14,270
310 35 + 180 19
Result:

445 250 32 43 35 19,490 24,885 20,325 310 180 21 23 19 = 13,700 17,470 14,270

Definition: If A is an m n matrix and B is an n p matrix, then C = AB is an m p matrix

( Amn )(Bn p ) = C m p

a11 M ai1 M am1

a12 M ai 2 M am 2

... a1n b11 ... b1 j M b21 ... b2 j ... ain M M M bn1 ... bnj ... amn

... c1 j c ... b1 p 11 M M ... b2 p = c ... cij i1 M M M ... bnp c m1 ... cmj

... c1 p M ... cip M ... cmp

(The subscripts 11, , ij, , mn, mp, etc are indices showing where the elements are in the matrix)

Note: Matrix multiplication is not commutative, that is, in general, AB BA

Adapted from Rechard O. Hill, Jr., Intermediate Algebra SE

ndcuong1980@gmail.com